“Bush appointee saw Justice lawyers as ‘commies,’ ‘crazy libs,’ report says; Bradley Schlozman, who supervised civil rights and voting rights lawyers, broke the law by considering political affiliations in deciding who can serve, an inspector general’s report says”: David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times has this news update.
Wednesday in The New York Times, Eric Lichtblau will have an article headlined “Criticism of Ex-Official in Hiring at Justice Dept.”
And McClatchy Newspapers reports that “Internal probe slams Bush Justice official for illegal hiring.”
You can access at this link the report that the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Inspector General made public today.
“Evidence in Terror Cases Said to Be in Chaos; Military Officials Reject Ex-Prosecutor’s Charges”: Wednesday’s edition of The Washington Post will contain an article that begins, “A former military prosecutor said in a declaration filed in federal court yesterday that the system of handling evidence against detainees at Guantanamo Bay was so chaotic that it was impossible to prepare a fair and successful prosecution.”
“Just In: Obama and Biden Will Visit Supreme Court Wednesday.” Tony Mauro has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”
“Court restores restrictions on W.Va. gambling advertising”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A federal appeals court reinstated West Virginia’s video lottery advertising restrictions Tuesday, ruling that the state has a legitimate interest in raising money without contributing to compulsive gambling.”
You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit at this link.
“Paterson nominates Lippman NY chief judge”: The AP provides this report.
“Judicial council to reopen probe of federal judge”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A judicial panel that once suspended a federal judge accused of sexually abusing court workers said it will reopen its investigation now that new counts have been added to the criminal case.”
My earlier coverage of this development appeared in this post from last night.
The Associated Press forgets that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rarely grants rehearing en banc even in cases that actually deserve it: The AP reports that “AP appeals ruling that Lindh petition is private.”
My earlier coverage of the Second Circuit’s three-judge panel ruling in this matter can be accessed here.
Technically speaking, a Guantanamo case was indeed argued today at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit: A law librarian emails:
I thought you’d want to know that the Guantanamo Bay-related case that took place today in the Federal Circuit’s courtroom was actually a case heard by the U. S. Court of Military Commission Review. Here is a link to the announcement from that tribunal.
The Federal Circuit simply provided a venue for the hearing.
Providing further evidence (as though any were needed) that law librarians are the best!
In coverage of today’s hearing, Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press reports that “Court hears arguments over detainee’s confession.” My related post from earlier today can be accessed here.
“Impeach Jay Bybee: Why should a suspected war criminal serve as a federal judge?” Law professor Bruce Ackerman has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.
“Supreme Court reviews speedy trial issue”: Mark Sherman of The Associated Press provides this report.
“Court limits ‘violent felony’ definition”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”
And The Associated Press reports that “Court limits use of law aimed at career criminals.”
Access online today’s two opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court in argued cases: You can access today’s ruling in Chambers v. United States, No. 06-11206, at this link. In addition, the oral argument transcript can be accessed here.
And you can access today’s ruling in Jimenez v. Quarterman, No. 07-6984, at this link. In addition, the oral argument transcript can be accessed here.
“Democratic Lawmakers May Investigate Bush Years”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition.”
“Obama to sign order next week to close Guantanamo prison”: McClatchy Newspapers provide this report.
The Wall Street Journal reports today that “Obama Will Issue Executive Order Within First Week to Shut Guantanamo.”
Carol Rosenberg of The Miami Herald reports that “Rights groups alarmed by Obama’s pace on Gitmo.”
And The Associated Press reports that “Closing Gitmo requires tough judgments on inmates.”
“Supreme Court deals setback to cable TV firms on video recording; Companies want to offer customers a service that doesn’t require a set-top box; The court asks the Justice Department to determine whether it would violate the Copyright Act”: David G. Savage has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.
“Court keeps the lid on governor’s Katz e-mail; Reversal on appeal upholds claim of executive privilege”: The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger contains this article today.
You can access yesterday’s ruling of the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, at this link.
“Weighing Reach of Law in Appeals for Clemency”: Today in The New York Times, Adam Liptak has an article that begins, “In an unusually testy argument, the Supreme Court on Monday tried to make sense of a federal law that provides lawyers to poor inmates on state death rows when their cases move to federal court. The question for the justices was whether the law also requires the federal government to pay those lawyers to present clemency petitions to governors and other state officials.”
You can access the transcript of yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court oral argument in Harbison v. Bell, No. 07-8521, at this link.
“Court to hear arguments over detainee’s confession”: Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Pentagon prosecutors want a federal appeals court to reinstate a young Guantanamo detainee’s confession after a military judge, who ruled the man had been tortured, threw it out. Military prosecutors on Tuesday were to ask the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit to allow them to use Mohammed Jawad’s confession against him during his trial by military commission.”
Chances are that the appeal is being heard by the D.C. Circuit, and not the Federal Circuit.
